Shoe-shank former



March 11 1924. 1,486,801

J. E. Rou'ssEAu SHOE SHANK FORMER Fild May 1. 1922 mane for.

Patented Mar. El, 192 3.

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a ncamn filed m 1 To all whom "it may concern.

Be it known that I, Josnrrr E. RoUssEAU, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Haverhill, in the county of Essex and the State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoe-Shank Formers, of which the following 18 a speck fication.

In the manufacture of turn shoes, it is customary to shape the shank portion of the sole surface by hand, this work usually being done with a rub-stick and a hammer, or with a special tool for the purpose, which is struck with a hammer. By this means shanks are formed in various shapes, and usually are either transversely rounded or V-shaped. If the work is, performed by a tool which is adapted to engage both side portions of the shank simultaneously at'the narrower portions only, it cannot be efiectively employed for the wlder portlons also. 'The objects of my inventlon are to provide a shank formiin tool which is ada ted to be simultaneously engaged with both side portions of a shoe shank at either its widest or narrowest points, and to-be readily con formed to all conditions of width, which, when employed, will produce a smooth even surface on the shank and may be manipulated so as to produce any form of shank desired within reasonable limits.

In a general way, I accomplishtheseobjects by providing a form of roll mounted on a shaft adapted to be held in the hands of the operator and pressed against the shoe, said roll being formed in two sections adapted to conform to either half of the shank and to be separated or forced together at will according to requirements.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a tool embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a different position of the parts and the manner of operation.

Fig. 4 is a detail View on an enlarged scale and also illustrating the operation. 7

Fig. 5 is an end view of the tool.

According to my invention, I provide a metal rod or shaft a on the middle portion of which a pair of metal rolls 7), b are mounted to rotate freely, and slide axially,

1922. Serial No. 557,498.

said rolls tapering from their opposite to their adjacent ends, the latter being normally held in abutment, in which position the surfaces of the rolls extend continuously, one from the other and the intermediate portions b of the surface of each roll being concavely curved longitudinally and the opposite end portions 6 thereof being rounded, or conveXly curved, as shown. The longitudinal curvature corresponds in a general way to the average transverse curvature of shoe shank usually desired. The surfaces of said roll members are made as smooth as practicable.

A pair of cylindrically shaped handles 0, c are rotatably mounted and longitudinally movable on the rod a, which passes centrally therethrough, said handles being arranged with their adjacent ends engaged with the opposite ends of the rolls, respectively and being normally pressed against said rolls by coil springs d on the rod a, said springs being arranged between the handles and nuts 6, threaded on the rod. Each handle is preferably chambered out to receive a portion of the spring which engages it, so that the spring bears on the shoulder formed at the bottom of the chamher. The nuts 6 permit adjustment of the tension of the springs or the force with which they press the rolls toward each other. a

The manner in which the tool is employed is as follows: The rolls are pressed down on the shank and rolled back and forth so that a combined rolling and pressing action takes place. The tool may also be tilted at the same time if desired, so as to round the shank edges more effectively. Starting at the heel, the tool will be worked towards the ball, and as the shank widens, the rolls will be pressed apart so that the concavely curved surfaces will be simultaneously pressed against the edge portions of the shank, as indicated in Fig. 3. The arrangement is such that the rolls may be separated sufficiently to enable the side portions of the shank to be operated on'up to its widest portion and the action of the springs may be increased or diminished by the operator by pushing the handles towards or from each other, so that the extent of lateral pressure of the rolls on the side portions of the shank may be controlled at will and the tool may be made to conform to practically all conditions, or requirements which are liable to be encountered.

In addition to the rolling and pressing action, a pounding action may also be employed, as the shoe shank may be struck a blow of considerable force with the rolls if desired.

I claim 1. A tool for forming the shanks of shoes comprising a shaft, a pair of rolls mounted therein having shank-forming surfaces tapering from their opposite to their adjacent ends and adapted and arranged for simultaneous engagement with opposite portions of the shank, said rolls being arranged on said shaft to permit relative axial movement according to the Width of the shoe shank and handles on the shaft at the opposite ends of the rolls arranged to control the separating movement of said rolls.

2. A tool for forming the shanks of shoes comprising a shaft having a pair of rolls mounted thereon and arranged for relative axial movement, the surfaces of said rolls being tapered from their opposite ends, and handles on the rod arranged for engaging the opposite ends of said rolls to hold them in proximity, and axially movable to permit separation of the rolls.

3. A tool for forming the shanks of shoes comprising a shaft, a pair of rolls mounted thereon having corresponding, longitudinally, concaved shank-formin surfaces tapering from their opposite to their adjacent ends and arranged to permit separating movement, one from the other, from a normal position in which their said surfaces are continuous, and handles on said shaft at the opposite ends of said rolls, one of said handles being axially movable on the shaft and spring actuated to hold said rolls in normal position.

t. A tool for forming the shanks of shoes comprising a shaft, a pair of rolls mounted on said shaft and axially movable thereon from anormal position in which their adjacent ends abut, said rolls having corresponding, longitudinally eoncaved shankforming surfaces tapering from their opposite to their abutting ends and extending continuously from one to the other when in said normal position, a pair of handles mounted for axial movement on said shaft and respectively engaged with the opposite ends of said rolls, stops on the ends of said shafts and springs on said shaft between said stops and handles, for holding the handles in yielding engagement with the rolls.

5. A tool for forming the shanks of shoes comprising a shaft, a pair of rolls mounted on said shaft and axially movable thereon from a normal position in which their adj acent ends abut, said rolls having corresponding, longitudinally concaved shankforming surfaces tapering from their opposite to their abutting ends and extending continuously from one to the other when in said normal position, a pair of handles mounted for axial movement on said shaft and respectively engaged at their adjacent ends with the opposite ends of said rolls, the opposite end portions of said handles being chambered and having coiled springs arranged therein about said shaft, so that the adjacent ends of the springs engage the iandles at the bottoms of the chambers thereof, and means on the shaft to engage the opposite ends of the springs to hold them under tensional engagement with the handles.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH E. ROUSSEAU. 

